Three Critical In-plant Trends for 2010

By Howie Fenton

Offset Perception and Reality

There is no easy way to say this so I am just going to be blunt: In almost every enterprise where the in-plant has an offset press, I see the administrative staff cringe when they see it. To most, the sight of an offset press creates a perception that printing is a dirty business with filthy equipment and processes. If you have seen this then you can relate.

The good news is that often those same people have a much better perception of digital printing. To many, it is a modern, state-of-the-art technology that is much more acceptable. If you have to answer to someone that has a low opinion of the offset process, you need to move quickly toward digital printing.

It's not enough to simply survey customers about their satisfaction; instead you have to now compare your products and services to those of outside printers.

I JUST returned from the Texas Association of College and University Printers (TACUP) conference and was pleasantly surprised at the turnout. After another in-plant show cancelled this year (ACUP), it was a nice surprise to see a roomful of in-plant managers.

According to Richard Beto who organized the meeting at the University of Texas at Austin, the cancellation of other shows helped attract managers from neighboring states to TACUP.

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Howie Fenton is an independent consultant who focuses on analyzing/benchmarking the performance of printing operations. Fenton helps companies use metrics, best practices and workflow strategies to streamline operations. Call (720) 872-6339 or email howie@howiefentonconsulting.com